Increasingly, industry is seeking detection methods for low concentration analytes. From detection of early stages of disease to early warning of chemical and biological hazards, detection of analytes increasingly is becoming of concern to society.
In particular, medical diagnostic end users are seeking to detect viral infections, such as HIV, at earlier stages. Early stage detection leads to treatment when a disease is manageable. For example, anti-viral medications have shown increased efficacy, possibly to the point of curing infected HIV patients when administered early. In other examples, early detection of avian influenza can lead to improved treatment of patients and prevention of epidemics.
In another example, militaries and civil defense agencies are seeking early warning and detection systems for chemical and biological agents. With increased threat of terrorism and rogue governments, concern about chemical or biological attacks has grown. Detection of analytes and residue relating to such agents can lead to improved security and faster response, ultimately saving lives.
Further, analyte detection is useful in research. Industry is seeking to automate and miniaturize laboratory assay equipment, leading to a desire for detection methods that are sensitive and can be performed with small quantities. However, traditional methods are often expensive and inefficient. For example, gas chromatography and mass spectrometry use large cumbersome equipment that is expensive to maintain. In other exemplary methods, such as test strips and titration, the output is less sensitive to reagents and analytes. In addition, such methods, while convenient, are inaccurate and often, subjective. For biological samples, culture methods are time consuming and use expert training to achieve results. In particular, DNA testing through gel electrophoresis is time consuming and utilizes a large quantity of DNA. While the DNA can be replicated to produce the quantity used in testing, such replication adds time to the testing process.
As such, an improved method of detecting analytes would be desirable.